Sunderland star Granit Xhaka is key to Switzerland's hopes of progressing into the knockout stages at the World Cup finals.

Several Sunderland stars are facing pivotal fixtures at the World Cup finals as the second round of group stages games get underway over the coming days.

There was some disappointment for Black Cats captain Granit Xhaka as his Switzerland side kicked off their campaign with an underwhelming 1-1 draw with Qatar on Saturday evening despite dominating large parts of the game. A first-half penalty from Breel Embolo appeared to have put the Swiss on their way to a routine victory that would have put them in control of Group B - but a late equaliser from Boualem Khoukhi ensured Xhaka and his team-mates had to settle for a point.

That came just under 24 hours after co-hosts Canada had kicked off their own Group B campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina - and it is the latter that will provide the opposition for Switzerland’s next fixture on Thursday night. Speaking ahead of the game, Swiss legend Alexander Frei has described Xhaka, who enjoyed a stellar first season at the Stadium of Light, as ‘absolute world elite’ and believes the Black Cats star is key to his side’s hopes of progressing into the knockout stages.

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When asked if the Swiss were in danger of not qualifying, he told SportBild: “No. But the pressure is naturally increasing because a reaction is now necessary. “Seriousness in front of the opponent’s goal is crucial. But so is belief in one’s own abilities. Coach Murat Yakin and experienced players like Granit Xhaka know how to handle the pressure.

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“It has given him (Xhaka) wings. Granit has incredible strategic abilities. He is technically outstanding, and organizes the entire game. There’s hardly an attack he doesn’t initiate. Granit is by far the most important player on this national team and belongs to the absolute world elite of strategists. The teams that have players like that in their ranks are often the most successful in the end. His greatest quality is that even when he’s not playing well, he’s still exceptionally strong. Very few professional footballers can say that. Even when you realize it’s not his game, he’s always good for a decisive moment.”

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